Coast banksia

Banksia integrifolia, Coast banksia, nectar attracts birds and insects

Geena needles Freeda into labeling a tree in her garden…

Freeda: Why label it?

Geena: Posterity. For your grandchildren. And to differentiate it from bottlebrushes.

Freeda: OK. Coast banksia. Brings the birds.

Geena: And the Linnaean name?

Freeda: It’s a banksia. Banksia integrifolia.

(from Bottlebrush Summer, 2014)

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Joseph Banks

Voice-over

Banksia is a genus of Aussie shrubs and trees of about 170 species.

First described by Joseph Banks on the 1770 Cook voyage.

Even Carl Linnaeus praised Joseph Banks.

In Latin. “Vir sine pari.” A man without equal.

And Banks on the Cook voyages was accompanied by one of Linnaeus’ students, Daniel Solander, (who unfortunately died of a stroke at only 49). 

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